Welcome to Part 4 to this Superman Key Comic Issues series. We're chugging right along, so here's some more great Superman keys to discover!
More Fun Comics #101
- First appearance of Superboy
- First appearance of Earth One
- First appearance of Earth One Superman
This issue debuted in January 1945, and the reason many cite this as the first appearance of Earth One Superman is because the golden age Superman never had a career as Superboy. He would only fight crime when he matured into adulthood and was in Metropolis. However, the Kal-El of Earth One indeed fought crime in Smallville as Superboy according to cannon, or DC's historical timeline.
This issue, nevertheless, is regarded firmly as the first appearance of Superboy and the first appearance of Earth One. This is one of the major Superman key comics to snag if you can find a copy.
eBay - Only two first printing copies were found at the time of this writing. One is a very nice CGC 7.0 FN/VF unrestored copy. The other is a raw copy. Both are featured below:
ComicConnect - Two copies of the first appearance of Superboy available here. One is a solid 4.0 Very Good, and the other a CGC 7.0 FN/VF.
Superman #47
- First story written about Earth One Superman
Is this the actual first Earth One appearance of Superman? Or is it in More Fun Comics #101? In flash back, Superman mentions his time as Superboy in this issue, and here's where the debate begins.
With the first appearance of Superboy we see the first appearance of Earth One Kal-El as Superboy, and Superman is seen in flash foward. However, this is the first story written about Earth One Superman. Anywho, you can decide for yourself, and the publication date for this key Superman comic issue is July 1947.
This is a sleeper issue and not that many know that it marks the first story written about Earth One Superman. It's not noted in Overstreet, nor is anyone selling it advertises it as such.
eBay - Only one unslabbed copy has been found at the time of this writing and can be seen below if it hasn't already been snagged.
ComicConnect - One CGC copy available here, but for auction only. Auction starts in February, and the copy is a CGC 6.5 FN plus.
Action Comics #123
What
a lot of people don't know is that Superman didn't start off flying.
Instead, he was only able to "Leap tall buildings in a single bound".
Remember that line? - First time Superman flies
The reason why Superman was given the ability to fly is apparently a pretty funny one as well. The 1940s Superman cartoons were difficult for the animators to continuously make Superman jumping and requested DC Comics to have Superman graduate to flying. We all know the end result of that request, and it happened with this comic in August of 1948.
Of course, some are arguing that Superman flew earlier and use Superman #10 as an example. However, it is arguable like most things but issue #11, or the next issue, clearly has Superman "spring", "leaping" and obviously jumping instead of flying.
This issue may be the first comic that clearly says Supes is "flying" in a content box. Interesting. Overstreet recognizes it, but it's not like Overstreet has never been wrong.
Not an easy issue to track down. It will surely be a hunt for this important key issue.
Superman #53
Superman's origin retold once again, but it's the classic cover by Wayne Boring that makes this key especially sought after. It also happens to be the tenth anniversary issue for Supes as well. This bad boy also came out in August of 1948.- 3rd retelling of Origin
- Classic origin cover by Wayne Boring
- 10th anniversary issue
eBay
- Quite a few copies here, mostly unslabbed, but there are a few CGC copies I saw. One is a 6.5 FN+ and another is a 3.5 VG minus that's pretty affordable concerning a key issue golden age Superman comic.ComicConnect - A 7.0 CGC graded copy and an unslabbed 6.0 FN are available for immediate purchase.
ComicLink - A few graded and unslabbed copies can be found at ComicLink. CGC 6.5 FN+ is the highlight here.
Superboy #1
- First Superboy title
mycomicshop - A CGC 2.0 (Good) graded copy has been located at mycomicshop. Not too bad a price for this golden age key comic issue that's a hard find also. Just click the link to check it out.
eBay
- Quite a few CGC restored copies, but a few Universal CGC copies in the lower grade range. One is CGC 5.5 FINE minus with WHITE pages. Not too bad for this golden age super key.ComicConnect - Three unslabbed copies. One is a 9.0 VF/NM raw copy. Other two are lower grade with one a solid 4.0 VG.
ComicLink - One CGC 4.0 VG copy still for sale here.
Superboy #2
- First appearance of Smallville
Pretty important key issue for Superman comics.
eBay
- Mostly unslabbed copies and one CGC 3.0 GD/VG. May be well worth looking at. ComicConnect - You ready for this one? ComicConnect has a gorgeous CGC 9.6 NM+ copy, but that's not all. This copy is a pedigree from the Davis Crippen collection. There are also some unslabbed copies as well. A FN+ stands out among the raw selection available.
ComicLink - Two copies available. First one of note is a CGC 6.0 solid FN. The other is a raw 5.0 VG/FN copy.
Superman #59
It took until July of 1949 for Superman to obtain what sort of resembles the superpower we know of today as Heat Vision. However, this issue introduces it as "the heat of his X-Ray Vision" within the story. Heat Vision as a totally separate superpower would not be seen until the silver age of comics for Superman, but this is a precursor to the well-known power that we all think of when we think of the Man of Steel.- First mention of Heat Vision
mycomicshop - An unslabbed GD- copy is for sale at mycomicshop for this golden age goodie.
ComicConnect - One unslabbed 5.5 FN minus available.
ComicLink - More unslabbed options for this issue here.
If you haven't checked out the previous parts yet, just click the blue link that says so below. Ready for Part 5 of this Superman key comics issues list? Just click the Next link and enjoy! Thanks for reading.
